Uptown Grayton’s Little Italy will reopen Oct. 19 after a fire closed its doors in February.

Owner Sergei Petrov says the wait is worth the reward, and that the new restaurant will return better than before.

“We are coming back with a new logo, a new restaurant, and a renewed menu,” said Petrov, who originally opened the restaurant a year and a half ago.

Before a fire damaged half of the 60-seat ristorante, Little Italy’s insalata, pasta dishes, and traditional desserts won over the 30A community.

A pizza oven explosion, however, put a cork in business for eight months.

But for those whose mouths have been watering at the thought of Little Italy’s lasagna, the wait is over and the restaurant will reopen Oct. 19 under a new name, Sergio’s Little Italy.

But though the moniker will be changed, the Italian dishes will remain authentic and hand-created.

Chef Patrick Mulcahy will be the mastermind behind these from-scratch dishes, including daily risotto specials, an abundance of veal dishes, and a variety of Italian pastas.

He said all of it will be so “delizioso,” he would have a hard time recommending a must-have dish.

“Take your pick,” he said. “It’s all going to be fresh, it’s all going to be fantastic. It’s all going to be hand-cut, hand-pounded.”

Everything will be made in-house, from the pizza dough to the sauces. Only the pasta will be imported — but from Italy.

Mulcahy, who grew up in an Italian neighborhood in Massachusetts, has been perfecting his Italian offerings for more than 25 years, from the first time he made gnocci from scratch.

“I’ve been cooking all my life,” said Mulcahy, whose pastry chef mother and a chef father imbued him with a love and talent for the culinary arts.

Petrov says he is excited for customers to try all of what the chef prepares, most especially his tiramisu.

“He made it one time for an Italian lady turning 90,” said Petrov. “She said it was the best tiramisu she’s ever had.”

He added with a smile, “I expect it to be really good.”

Those dining at Sergio’s Little Italy will be treated to what Mulcahy calls a half-trattoria, that is, a kitchen open halfway onto the dining room.

“It’s so guests can look in there and say ‘wow,’ ” said the chef. “It will be really good food, service, atmosphere, and entertainment as well.”

And in less than a week, guests will see thin-crust pies emerge from a brand-new stone pizza oven.

The pizza oven is finished with beautiful green mosaic tiles, which compliment the rest of the space, redecorated in a green and brown motif, and dotted with whimsical touches like chandeliers made of wine glasses.

The ristorante will be open at its Uptown Grayton location, 50-1 Uptown Grayton, Tuesday and Wednesday for dinner starting at 5 p.m. From Thursday through Saturday, Little Italy will be offer unique menus for lunch, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and for dinner, from 5 p.m. Until March, the Italian restaurant will be closed Sunday and Monday.

For more information, visit the Little Italy Facebook page or call 231-2139.